Reptiles/Amphibians: An American Zoo List

[snowleopard]

I tracked down all of the major American zoos that have at least 100 species of reptiles and amphibians and I've typed out a list below. Surprisingly, there are even a couple of great aquariums that each have 100 species in their collection. Other than a few exceptions where data was unavailable, this is a fairly comprehensive list and naturally includes behind-the-scenes animals. Excluded are various privately-run serpentariums and the occasional prominent facility that seems to act in secret in terms of a species list, annual attendance, etc. (I'm looking at you, Dallas World Aquarium!) but overall the numbers below should be reasonably accurate. I obtained this data from the International Zoo Yearbook and other than a few minor tweaks via some friends in the industry, here are the latest counts and Omaha leads the pack of 35 establishments even though that Nebraska facility technically doesn't even have a Reptile House. However, it does have the Lied Jungle, Desert Dome, Kingdoms of the Night, Expedition Madagascar and the Wild Kingdom Pavilion and there are terrariums scattered throughout all of those 5 buildings.

Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo - 240 species
Bronx Zoo - 220
Nashville Zoo - 210
Dallas Zoo - 200
Saint Louis Zoo - 200
San Diego Zoo - 200
Houston Zoo - 190
Fort Worth Zoo - 170
San Antonio Zoo - 170
Oklahoma City Zoo - 165
Rio Grande Zoo - 160
Zoo Atlanta - 160
Detroit Zoo - 150
Toledo Zoo - 150
Audubon Zoo - 140
Brookfield Zoo - 140
Denver Zoo - 140
Phoenix Zoo - 135
Cincinnati Zoo - 130
Louisville Zoo - 120
Zoo Miami - 120
Tulsa Zoo - 115
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum - 110
Gladys Porter Zoo - 110
Memphis Zoo - 110
Philadelphia Zoo - 110
Riverbanks Zoo -110
Sedgwick County Zoo - 110
Cameron Park Zoo - 100
Jacksonville Zoo - 100
Los Angeles Zoo - 100
National Aquarium at Baltimore - 100
Tennessee Aquarium - 100
Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium - 100
Zoo Knoxville - 100

Are there any missing zoos? Any numbers that need to be updated?

 

[snowleopard]

It is interesting to see 4 Texas zoos in the top 9, plus Gladys Porter and Cameron Park later in the list to give the state of Texas 6 establishments listed here. The privately-run, 'roadside menagerie' Animal World & Snake Farm Zoo has a ton of reptiles/amphibians and even Caldwell Zoo has 65 species and both are also in that state. Texas dominates and no other U.S. state has more than 2-3 entries.

 

[lintworm]

It is interesting that US zoos in general have much stronger reptile+amphibian collections compared to European zoos. In Europe there are off course some (German + Eastern European exceptions), but generally speaking such high numbers are seldom reached. I wonder whether it has to do withe the fact that reptile and amphibian housing tends to be much larger when compared to the US....

 

[snowleopard]

Also, only perhaps 9 of the zoos on the list are located in what could traditionally be called 'northern cities' in the USA. Approximately 75% of the American zoos with great reptile/amphibian collections are located in the southern half of the country, even though many of the animals are found inside buildings. Interesting...

 

[antonmuster]

It is interesting that US zoos in general have much stronger reptile+amphibian collections compared to European zoos. In Europe there are off course some (German + Eastern European exceptions), but generally speaking such high numbers are seldom reached. I wonder whether it has to do withe the fact that reptile and amphibian housing tends to be much larger when compared to the US....

35 institutions with 100+ species of herptiles is indeed impressive - consider for example that Berlin (zoo), whose marketing very much rests on being the most species-rich zoo in the world, 'only' has 99 species and wouldn't even make this list.

 

[geomorph]

I am in serious doubt about the numbers in this list. For example, I just visited the Oklahoma City Zoo. There were 84 species on exhibit. Are there really 81 species off exhibit? I also just visited the Sedgwick County Zoo. There were 42 species on exhibit. Are there really 68 species off exhibit? I also just visited Tulsa Zoo. There were 66 species on exhibit. Are there really 49 species off exhibit? I also just visited Audubon Zoo. There were 66 species on exhibit. Are there really 74 species off exhibit?

 

[Okapipako]

It is interesting that US zoos in general have much stronger reptile+amphibian collections compared to European zoos. In Europe there are off course some (German + Eastern European exceptions), but generally speaking such high numbers are seldom reached. I wonder whether it has to do withe the fact that reptile and amphibian housing tends to be much larger when compared to the US....

I've noticed this as well. I'm thinking it might have to do with most of these zoos being in areas with much milder-to-nonexistent winters? Even if they're kept indoors it must save costs on heating.

 

[Coelacanth18]

I am in serious doubt about the numbers in this list. For example, I just visited the Oklahoma City Zoo. There were 84 species on exhibit. Are there really 81 species off exhibit? I also just visited the Sedgwick County Zoo. There were 42 species on exhibit. Are there really 68 species off exhibit? I also just visited Tulsa Zoo. There were 66 species on exhibit. Are there really 49 species off exhibit? I also just visited Audubon Zoo. There were 66 species on exhibit. Are there really 74 species off exhibit?

It's actually quite common for American zoos to have as many or more herp species off-display as on-display. Some of them are used for education outreach, some are being bred for conservation, and some just can't be displayed due to space restrictions.

 

[snowleopard]

The data is from the zoos themselves, as each year the publication International Zoo Yearbook updates its numbers. For some zoos the numbers make sense, as for example Los Angeles Zoo has approximately 70 species on exhibit and so 100 species in total (including off-show) seems valid. Dallas and Fort Worth have totals that I'm also confident are highly accurate as there are large off-display zones at those facilities. Houston Zoo had perhaps 105 species on-exhibit when I was there in 2015 and to have 190 species in total seems a bit extreme but perhaps there is another whole herp zone behind-the-scenes. However, as @Coelacanth18 has pointed out, it is very common for many American zoos to have vast, sprawling reptile/amphibian collections off-show.